Tenuta’s To Go, the carry-out-only hub for Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant fulfilled its last carry-out orders on Sunday, March 28.

The closure was broadcast on social media over the weekend: “After some very difficult evaluation, we have come to the decision to close our Tenuta’s To Go location on Howard Ave. While we are grateful for the support of the community and our staff, we need to make this business decision at this time.”

When Frank Tenuta bought the building at 3902 S. Whitnall Ave. in 2019, the main goal was to use the building as a hub for catering services; but offering to-go services seemed to make sense, as it made more regular use of the building and equipment.

Of course, everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Weddings and events were cancelled. More folks made the decision to stay home. And, like every other restaurant in the city, Tenuta’s faced myriad new challenges.

“It was tough to keep two locations fully staffed,” says Tenuta. “And there was often confusion when orders were placed online about the pick-up location. With catering orders down, it just made sense too reconsider our operations.”

Tenuta says they plan to hold onto the building for the time being, potentially using it as demand for catering services returns.

In the meantime,  guests can find their favorite Italian dishes and pizza for dine-in and carry-out at Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant, 2995 S. Clement Ave. They can also look forward to the return of patio seating, likely sometime in May.

“We’re staying safe and making sure we’re doing things properly at the restaurant,” Tenuta says. “We’re beginning to see signs that people are getting more comfortable with going out. And, knock on wood, we’ll only see business get better.”

Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. Call (414) 431-1014 for dine-in reservations, carry-out orders and catering requests.